Buffalo Bore

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jadek44

Single-Sixer
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Jan 19, 2008
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155
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grouts corner mass
I was given a box of 9mm 124gr +p. Safe to use in my LC9? Waiting on manual from Ruger. Just added the used one to my family. Was lucky to find one here in Mass.. A bunch dropped from our approved roster. Thanks P.S. I did a search and got every thing but an answer.
 

groberts

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
224
Location
Somewhere it's warm
The manual is online at Ruger. Here is what it says on page 11:
"Although the RUGER® LC9® pistol is capable of functioning with +P
ammunition, a steady diet of +P ammunition will shorten the endurance life of
these pistols. You should never shoot 9mm +P+ ammunition in your RUGER®
LC9®. There are no SAAMI or CIP pressure limits on 9mm +P+ and use of this
ammunition could result in serious injury. Do not use "+P+" ammunition.
Note on theLC380TM: Do not use "+P" ammunition.
Note on theLC9®: Do not use "+P+" ammunition."
So +P is ok but don't overuse it.
 

jadek44

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
155
Location
grouts corner mass
Thanks kind Sir.. I'll just shoot a couple to see POI and then just use it in my carry mag. Its not like I have a case.. Also a senior moment on my part on the online manual. Top it off I'm a Purebred Polander :) Thanks again Stash
 

Ammo First

Bearcat
Joined
Sep 7, 2013
Messages
22
Did you get only 20 rounds? If you plan on using it in your carry piece it's always a good idea to run at least 4 or 5 mags (more if possible) thru it. You want to make sure it's reliable and accurate in your gun. If you like this type of round try Underwood ammo. Much better pricing Best of Luck
 

brushunter

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
302
Location
Western Pa.
Not wanting to offend Buffalo Bore ...very good ammo. That being said , I've found Buff Bore ammo to be very hot stuff. I've only tried two different calibers 44 and 45C , both were HOT. The packaging gave no indication of +P loadings. I would think they're loaded to certain standards ... just sayin ...

regards , brushunter
 

MountainWalker

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
330
Location
Arkansas
I will be a bit bolder. Buffalo Bore Ammo ballistics often exceed industry standards. They are trying capitalize on the idea that more is better and hot ammo is more effective. I would suggest that ammo above standard pressure increases chance of malfunction or parts failure. Far better to use a standard pressure with a quality bullet that will perform properly at standard pressure/velocity. The LC9 is sturdily built, but still a lightweight. It would be better to simply use standard pressure for this little pistol. Hornaday & Speer make very effective standard pressure loads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8gm7ZTkDxc

I had a box of Buffalo Bore in 380 and after reading the ballistics on the box, just decided that it wasn't worth shooting and disposed of it without shooting in my gun.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2004
Messages
2,791
Location
Granbury, TX. USA
Buffalo Bore can be some pretty flakey stuff in small guns like this. At the range, a guy blew his magazine out through the bottom of his gun. It broke the mag catch on the way out. Not sure how much of it he used prior to that day though. I wouldn't recommend it in this specific case.

Now I think a light diet of it might be ok in a P89 oor something..
 

MountainWalker

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
330
Location
Arkansas
I found myself wanting to "gift away"(rather than "throw away") my nice box of Buffalo Bore ammo, but thought that it might cause problems whoever shot it in his gun. So I pulled the bullets and put it all in the trash. Buffalo Bore may be better in something like a big Ruger Redhawk.

Also, experience shows us that guns that have been damaged by over pressure ammo leave signs that manufactures are aware of. In best case scenario, the manufacture will offer a replacement gun at wholesale and ship it direct to the owner. Wouldn't it have simply better to simply not shoot suspect ammo, including another person's handloads?
 

OldePhart

Blackhawk
Joined
Dec 12, 2014
Messages
582
Location
Texas, USA
I wouldn't shoot Buffalo Bore from my LC9s on a bet. It digests other +P (Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot) just fine although I wouldn't feed it a steady diet of such. I strongly suspect that a lot of the Buffalo Bore stuff exceeds SAAMI pressures for even +P (it almost has to unless they have a secret stash of miracle powder that nobody else knows about). The LC9 barrel and slide just aren't all that beefy...and let's not even talk about the slide rails on the frame...

Besides which, I think I'd have trouble controlling the little pistol with anything that snapped back much more than the above mentioned ammo that I carry for defense. Even after I squared my trigger guard for a better grip the recoil is still more noticeable than any of my full-size .40 pistols.

Also, keep in mind that if you don't shoot your carry ammo reasonably frequently you are less than wise for a couple of reasons. 1) you won't be used to the ammo, the recoil, feel, and POI will not be "engraved in your reflexes". 2) You won't really know if the gun functions reliably with that ammo.

A perfect example of the latter is the local "back up gun" match I shot last night with my LC9s and some 147gr hand loads that I hadn't had a chance to test. The first stage went okay, accuracy seemed decent and soft "pushy" recoil instead of a "snap". I was feeling great. Then the second stage came and I had three malfunctions one right after the other. To finish the night out I switched to some commercial ammo I'd brought "just in case".

So, if you buy any commercial ammo and shoot a mag or two you can't just assume that it's good, put the carry ammo away, and shoot nothing but practice stuff. You should shoot a 20 round box of your carry ammo at least every six weeks or so, IMHO. I also test every new magazine with a full load of my carry ammo at least once. Especially given some of the magazine issues that the LC9(s) has had. And...do you really want to punish yourself shooting that much extra hot, possibly unsafely so, ammo?
 

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